Largest lakes & reservoirs in by acres
There is no widely-accepted minimum surface area that defines a lake. What LakeLubbers describes as a lake, you might call a pond. Acreage of a lake (or sometimes square kilometers) is most often measured at the top surface area when the lake is at normal elevation. The surface area can be considerably smaller or larger when lake levels are lower or higher than normal. North America’s Lake Superior is the world’s largest freshwater lake by this measure.The other measure of a lake’s size is the lake’s water volume. By that measure, the world’s largest freshwater lake is Lake Baikal in Siberia.
You can find many of the world’s largest lakes (acres) on LakeLubbers in the comparison table below. Note: For some lakes, "Largest Lakes - Acres" data is unknown or does not apply, so you may see fewer lakes than the total 2151 articles we have published for lakes.
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Below are lakes within Compared by surface area in acres. This list does not represent all lakes in , only the 2151 lake articles we have published on the LakeLubbers website.
Lake name  |
Surface area in acres |
Lake description |
|---|---|---|
| Crater Lake, OR (Oregon, Southern Oregon, US West Region, USA) |
13,056 ac | Crater Lake is on the crest of the Cascade Range in southern Oregon, about 100 miles from the ocean, and is the centerpiece of Crater Lake National Pa… |
| Tenkiller Lake, OK (Green Country, OK, Oklahoma, US Southwest Region, USA) |
12,900 ac | Also known as Lake Tenkiller, Tenkiller Ferry Lake Tenkiller Lake is an amazing place filled with fascinating history and natural beauty in the foothills of the Ozark Mountains. There’s tons of fun to… |
| Grand Lake St. Marys, OH (Northwest Ohio, Ohio, US Midwest Region, USA) |
12,900 ac | Also known as Grand Lake With its sail billowing in the wind, the sailboat glides in front of the lighthouse. It’s a rare scene for an inland lake, but Grand Lake St. Marys is… |
| Don Pedro Lake, CA (California, Gold Country Region, CA, US West Region, USA) |
12,900 ac | Also known as Lake Don Pedro, Don Pedro Reservoir Don Pedro Lake, also known as Don Pedro Reservoir and Lake Don Pedro, is nestled into the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. With a surface are… |
| Hornindalsvatnet, Norway (Norway) |
12,800 ac | Also known as Hornindalsvatn, Hornindalsvatn Lake Considered the deepest lake in Europe, Norway’s Hornindalsvatn Lake is perfectly placed to host a western Norway holiday. Surrounded by mountains, gla… |
| Lake Gogebic, MI (Michigan, US Midwest Region, USA, Upper Peninsula Region, MI) |
12,800 ac | Lake Gogebic, located at the western tip of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (UP) is a hidden gem, far undervalued in the outdoor sports world. Lake Gogebic… |
| San Luis Reservoir, CA (California, Central Valley Region, CA, US West Region, USA) |
12,700 ac | A sparkling sapphire gem carved into the eastern edge of the San Joaquin Valley, the San Luis Reservoir enjoys a scenic location in Merced County. Thi… |
| Great Central Lake (British Columbia, Canada, Canada) |
12,602 ac | Also known as Central Lake One of the most popular spots on a hot summer day on Vancouver Island is Great Central Lake. Long and narrow, nestled beneath low mountains, Great Cen… |
| Glen Elder Reservoir, KS (Kansas, North Central Kansas, US Midwest Region, USA) |
12,586 ac | Also known as Waconda Lake Glen Elder Reservoir, also known as Waconda Lake, is one of the most scenic and popular outdoor attractions in Kansas. Located in north central Kansas… |
| Hebgen Lake (Gold West Country, MT, Montana, US West Region, USA, Yellowstone Country, MT) |
12,564 ac | Anglers will find some of Montana’s best stillwater trout fishing at Hebgen Lake. The 12,500-acre reservoir lies conveniently just outside the western… |
| Orange Lake, FL (Florida, North Florida, US South Region, USA) |
12,550 ac | Both wading birds and airboats are at home amongst the mats of floating aquatic plants on beautiful Orange Lake in Alachua County, Florida. With its a… |
| Tuttle Creek Lake, KS (Kansas, Northeast Kansas, US Midwest Region, USA) |
12,500 ac | Also known as Tuttle Creek Reservoir When construction of Tuttle Creek Dam began in 1952, the premise was that Tuttle Creek Lake would be a “dry dam” passing water on through to the river… |